May 12, 2005 • Volume 13 Number 17

Braman Chosen for Waldron Award

Adj. Assoc. Prof. Brian Braman (Philosophy), praised by students for his sartorial as well as teaching and mentoring qualities, is the winner of the 2005 Mary Kaye Waldron Award.

Presented to a faculty member or administrator who has worked to enhance student life at Boston College, the award commemorates the late Mary Kaye Waldron '95, a varsity basketball manager and member of the Jenks Leadership Program and Campus Ministry's Salt and Light Co. who died of cancer in her senior year.

Her mother, Bonnie, a secretary in the Philosophy Department, and father, James, spoke at the award ceremony, which was held April 25 in the Corcoran Commons Heights Room.

Approximately 100 nominations for the award are received each year from undergraduate students, say the award organizers.

"I am deeply honored," said Braman, who is director of the Perspectives Program, in an interview last week. "What moves me the most is this is entirely a student-generated award, in memory of an extraordinary young woman. I am gratified that the students saw something in me that resembles Mary Kaye."

Several of Braman's students created a video to tout his credentials for the award, noted Bonnie Waldron. "They told us of the passion and enthusiasm that Brian brings to the classroom, and the love of learning he inspires in his students. Besides his excellence in the classroom, his students and colleagues praised him for his availability and sincere interest to help his students by listening and offering sound guidance on a daily basis."

The students also cited Braman's "good fashion sense," added Waldron, some even dressing in well-groomed suits and ties to resemble him.

Braman chuckled about the students' flattery by imitation, but said there is a deeper purpose to his self-imposed dress code.

"It's a sign of taking what I do seriously," said Braman, who came to BC as a doctoral student in 1989. "My hope is, if I show I'm serious about teaching, my students will be serious about learning."